Loose-leaf binder and latching mechanism



March 22, 1949. c. v. ST. LOUIS LOOSE-LEAF BINDER AND LATCHING MECHANISM 2 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 21, 1948 NVENTOR ATTORNEYS CZZarZea 1X52 Loazz'a' March 22, 1949. c, v, LOUIS 2,465,179

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER AND LATCHING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 21, I948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 y v ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 22, 1949 omrso .srArEs rarest orn 'LOOSEeLEA-F BINDER Dy LATCHING MECHANISM 6 Claims.

1 This invention relates to improvements in loose leafbinders and particularly to a structure wherein the sheet binding .unit may be mounted for movement relati' to the covers and gloacking member.

The invention comprehends use of latch means on a sheet binding unit and an attaching bar detachably mounted on back and cover structure for a binder inwhich the latch means will secure the sheet binding unit against relative hinging movement to the back member on the attaching bar. This secures the sheet binding unit. to the back member so thatit can be used in the usual manner in which a looseleai binder is employed for reference to the records contained on the sheets bound between apair of binder bars and also .for closing of the covers against opposite sides of the .boundsheets when the binder is not in use so it may be. transported from place to place. These features of construction facilitate the use of information-carried in the loose leaf-binder on the sheets bound in the sheet binding. unit, as well as in pockets. carried by the covers because the sheet ,bindingunit has the latch means released to allowrelative movement of the binding unit to the backand covers so it can. lie flat on a desk or EELbIEMOVE-I .one cover for reference to the information. care ried on the sheets between the .bindenbarsw-hile at the same time providing more convenient reference to information contained in pockets care ried .by one of the covers. This enables special data used in giving information on. insurance rates of various kinds as well as in connection with the presentation of data used in sales, engineering andother types of business 'tQbe more conveniently arranged and referred to.

t v In thedrawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of the binderwith the covers shown in open-position and the sheetbinding unit released and shown in angular position to the back member.

Fig; 2 is a front elevation of, the sheet binding unit detached from the back member with portions broken away and shown in cross section.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectiontaken on line 3-} of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section takenonline 4-4 of Fig. 1 showing the sheet binding unit in angular relation to the back member.

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section similar to Fig. 4showing the sheet bindingunitlatched to the back member against hinging movement.

Fig. .6 is a vertical transverse, crossesection taken on line 6 6 of- Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an end elevation of thgbindershOW- ing the sheet binding unit latohed totheback member as'shown in Fig. 5.

"Thebi de ha w r Lan back member. 2

formed of suitable material, such as leathenor the like. Covers E are adapted for. hinging movement on opposite sides of back member- ,2 .as indicated at 3. The edges of covers i areprovided with suitable flaps adapted to carry portions of a zipper fastener so that the zipper may be usedto secure the covers.,together and fully enclose the sheet body When the case isbeing carried. about. Handles ii are mounted on the outer free edges of each cover for use in carrying the binder.

A mounting bar 5 is. secured to back wmember 2 by means of an inner .b-ackcover 6 stitched about its margins to back member} and also stitched along opposite sides of mounting barj, so that the mountingbaris rigidly secured .to back. member 2. Mounting. bar 5 is therefore engo ged between inner back cover strip 6 and back member 2, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. A pair of attaching posts '5 are riveted on mounting bar 5'3 in spaced parallel laterally extending relation. Posts 7 project through inner back cover 6 as shown in Fig. 4, and have the free ends provided with an annular groove 8.

Av sheet binding unit is generally indicated at 9 for binding a plurality of loose sheets along one margin. The sheet binding unit illustrated has a pair of binder bars iii and. ii adapted to engage opposite sides of a sheet body. Binder bar. H forms a bottom binder barwhile bar it! forms a top binder. bar. A flexible binding. I2 of suitable material is secured tobars Ill and H and mountsthem for relative movement toward and from each other in substantially spaced parallel relation. Flexible binding i2 provides for varying the capacity of the binder between desired limitsand is shown in the drawings with bars. ill and ii spaced apart to carry the maximum size of sheet body with flexible binding l2 taut. As illustrated, flexible binding i2 embraces bars no and, H and is stitched .or otherwise..s,ecured together at suitable positions alon the edges of. the bars to hold-the layers of. the flex- .ible binding material in superposed relationtogether to effectively support bars wand. ll.

Bottom bar ii carries a plurality of sheet. engaging posts it and i4 respectively,.eacharigidly secured to bar H. ,These. .posts.a re.-each.; of tubular form soasto telescopically receive binder posts 55 and !6 respectively. Pos.ts..l5 are riveted to transfer bar ii in aligned relation ,with posts, 93 so that posts 15 will telescope into tubular posts l3 in the manner clearly illustrated in Fig. Binder posts l5 are threadedthroughout their length and have threaded engagement in. the reduced ends of tubular posts I4 sofiilflt the length of binder posts it projectingbeyond the-ends'of tubular posts. I 4 may be nanally yar-ied by turning the posts to. threadth m 'to and. out. of posts. l4. The free endsp posts I 6 are provided with grooved heads I8. Transfer bar I1 is provided with apertures I9 in aligned relation with posts I6 for receiving posts I6 in projecting relation through the apertures. Transfer bar Il may therefore be slidably moved on posts I6 in sheet transferring operations. Transfer bar Il may be disengaged from posts I6 by movement outwardly off the ends of posts I6 for transferring sheets on Posts Hi of the transfer bar in the usual manner employed in post-type binders, well known in the art, in removing, transferring and replacing sheets in the binder.

Top binder bar I is transversely slotted in alignment with posts I6, as indicated at 20, for receiving heads I8 of posts I6. Latch bar 2| is engaged with the outer side of top binder bar I 9 and secured thereto for a limited sliding movement. Slots 22 at opposite ends of latch bar 2| slidably engage rivets 23 extending therethrough. Rivets 23 are rigidly secured to end portions of binder bar In. Opposite slots 20 in binder bar Ii), latch bar 2| is formed with keyhole slots 2 opening through one side of latch bar 2! at the same side that slots 20 open through bar it). This provides open slots to receive grooved heads I8 on posts IE so that the reduced portion of heads I8 providing the grooves will engage in transverse slots 28 and slots 24 with the portions of larger diameter of heads IS on opposite sides of bar It! and latch 2!. By sliding latch bar 2! to offset the open portion of the slots therein relative to transverse slots 2!], latch bar ZI will effectively latch binder posts IS on top binder bar IE] to hold the sheet body in bound relation against removal of sheets. Transfer bar I! is applied to posts I6 before top binder bar HI and normally lies adjacent bar II! in the bound relation of the sheets in the binder.

Flexible binding I2 has an extension from bottom binder bar II which embraces and hingedly mounts attaching bar 25 on the lower rear portion of sheet binding unit 9 as clearly shown in Fig. 6. Attaching bar 25 is provided with apertures aligned with attaching posts I so that it may readily engaged and disengaged with over posts I in attaching the sheet binding unit to back member 2. A latch bar 25 constructed in a similar manner to latch bar 2I has slots 21 in opposite ends to receive rivets 23 rigidly secured o to attaching bar 25 for mounting latch bar 26 on one side thereof for limited sliding movement. Latch bar 26 is formed with keyhole slots 29 in alignment with the post receiving apertures formed in attaching bar 25 so that posts I may be projected through the apertures in attaching bar 25 and the enlarged end ofslots 29 in latch bar 26. Then, after attaching bar 25 is engaged on posts I as shown in Fig. 1, slidable movement of latch bar 26 to the opposite limit will move the portions of keyhole slots 29 of smaller dimension into the grooved ends on posts I and effectively latch attaching bar 26 to posts I for firmly attaching sheet binding unit 9 to back member 2.

In operation of the binder it will be understood that the user may remove and insert sheets between binder bars I6 and II by removing binder bar If] through releasing latch bar 2| from post I6 and then manipulating the sheets with the use of transfer bar IT. This may be done whether the sheet binding unit 9 is attached to back member 2 or is in detached relation. When sheet binding unit 9 has the desired sheets in bound relation between binder bars I 0 and I I, then it may be attached to back member 2 by engaging attaching bar 25 and looking it on posts I of mounting bar 5. The sheet binding unit is then efiectively secured to the covers and back member 2 for convenient manipulation between positions where the bound edge of the sheet body will be in laterally extending relation with respect to back member 2 as shown in Fig. 1, or may be moved into adjacent position against back member 2 as shown in Fig. '7.

When the binder is to be closed for carriage or transport, it is usually desired to secure sheet binding unit 9 against relative movement to back member 2 about attaching bar 25. For this purpose a keeper 30 in the form of a sheet metal late of substantially Z-shape in cross-section is mounted in transverse relation on the inner face of the back member 2 and against the inner face of inner back cover strip 5. One margin of keeper 30 is riveted firmly against the surface of cover strip 6 while the opposite margin is offset as shown in Fig. 5.

A latch plate 3I is formed with slots 32 in aligned relation to receive rivets 33 for mounting latch plate 3! on the central portion of transfer bar I! for limited sliding movement. The margin of latch plate 3I at the side formed with slots 32 has a handle projection 34. The opposite side of latch plate 3| extends substantially beyond the opposite edge of transfer bar I1 through slot 35 in flexible binding I2 to the rear of the flexible binding where the plate has a recess 35 in one end to provide latch projection 31. Latch projection 31 is in a position to engage under the offset margin of keeper 30 when latch plate 3i is at one limit of its movement on transfer bar I '5. At the opposite limit of movement latch plate BI is disengaged from keeper 30. In this way latch plate 3! and keeper 39 cooperate to secure sheet binding unit 9 adjacent top binder bar ID to back member 2 when the sheet body is arranged adjacent to back member 2 with the sheets extending in perpendicular relation thereto. This secures the sheet binding unit to binder back member 2 so that it cannot be moved about its flexible hinge connection with attaching bar 25. This position is clearly illustrated in Figs. 5 and I. It will, therefore, be clear that when latch plate 3| and keeper 3!! are interengaged in latching relation that the sheet body is held rigidly against back member 2 so that covers I may be moved to a closed position for closing the binder for carrying.

Covers I are adapted to have expandible pocket structures 33 mounted on the inner faces thereof for receiving various kinds of data sheets that are not desired for inclusion in the bound sheet body of sheet binding unit 9. In handling technical data of many types such as insurance records, engineering records and the like, it is necessary in sales, management and other types of Work using such data to refer to several different sheets at one time. For example, if the sheet binding unit includes a plurality of sheets containing insurance rates while application sheets, instruction sheets, cost figures and so forth are contained on sheets placed in pockets 38, it will be clear that when sheet binding unit 9 is released from back member 2 by disengaging latch plate 3| from keeper 30, sheet binding unit 9 may be moved into the position shown in Fig. 1. The sheets contained in pockets 38 on the inner lefthand cover may be removed from the pockets and laid on the cover for reference purposes while at the same time an operator may refer to the rates carried on the sheets in unit 9. In this way convenient reference and manipulation of the sheets in unit 9 may be made in connection with the other papers used in connection with the figures carried by the tables in unit 9, in order to supply information to people interested in insurance and the various figures and factors involved in Writing insurance policies. Then the sheets may be restored to their respective pockets with sheet binding unit 9 lodged against back member 2 when the binder is ready to be closed and carried about.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a loose leaf binder having a sheet binding unit retaining a sheet body between a pair of binder bars, the combination of a flexible binding attached to said binder bars at opposite edges, an attaching bar, said flexible binding having an extension from one of said binder bars secured to said attaching bar for flexibly connecting said binding unit to said attaching bar for relative movement of a sheet body to said attaching bar, cover members connected by a back member and movable relative thereto into open and closed positions, means on said back member detachably connecting said attaching bar thereto, and latch means having cooperating parts carried by said binder bar unit and back member for detachably securing said sheet binding unit to said back member for holding said unit against movement relative to said attaching bar.

2. In a loose leaf binder having a sheet binding unit for retaining a sheet body therein, the combination of a back member, cover members hinged on opposite sides thereof for movement between open and closed positions relative to said sheet body. an attaching bar, means on said back member detachably connecting said attaching bar to said back member, a flexible strip mounted on said attaching bar and secured to said sheet binding unit for hingedly securing said unit to said attaching bar for movement relative to said back member, and means having complementary interengaging parts on said sheet binding unit and back member for detachably connecting said unit to said back member for retention against relative movement.

3. In a loose leaf binder having a sheet binding unit for retaining a sheet body, the combination of a back member, cover members hinged at opposite sides thereof for movement between open and closed positions relative to said sheet body, an attaching bar, means detachably connecting said attaching bar to said back member, means flexibly connecting said sheet binding unit to said attaching bar for movement relative to said back member, a keeper mounted in transversely extending relation on said back member, and a latch member slidably mounted on said sheet binding unit for cooperative engagement with said keeper to secure said unit to said back member against movement relative thereto.

4. In a loose leaf binder as claimed in claim 3, having the means detachably connecting said attaching bar to said back member comprising posts mounted on said back member for engagement in apertures formed in said attaching bar, and a lock bar slidably mounted on said attaching bar detachably engaging said attaching posts in one position for securing the attaching bar to the back member.

5. A loose leaf binder comprising a back member, cover members secured to opposite sides of said back member, a mounting bar secured to said back member having attaching posts, an attaching bar removably engaged on said attaching posts, latch means for detachably locking said attaching bar on said attaching posts and mounting bar, a sheet binding unit having a pair of binder bars to engage opposite sides of a sheet body, a transfer bar detachably associated with said binder bars at one side of a sheet body, cooperating sheet engaging posts mounted on said binder and transfer bars for retaining a sheet body between said binder bars, latch means detachably retaining said sheet engaging posts, binder and transfer bars in sheet binding position, a flexible binding having spaced portions secured to said binder bars for holding them in assembled relation, said binding having a portion adjacent one of said binder bars secured to said attaching bar for hingedly mounting said sheet binding unit on said attaching bar for movement relative to said back member, a keeper mounted on said back member, and a latch plate slidably mounted on said transfer bar in aligned relation for cooperation with said keeper in one position of said sheet binding unit for latching said unit to said back member and retain it against relative movement.

6. A loose leaf binder comprising a back member, cover members secured to opposite sides of said back member, a mounting bar attached to said back member having attaching posts, an attaching bar removably engaged on said attaching posts, latch means for detachably locking said attaching bar on said attaching posts and mounting bar, a sheet binding unit having a pair of binder bars to engage opposite sides of a sheet body, a transfer bar detachably associated with said binder bars at one side of a sheet body, cooperating sheet engaging posts mounted on said binder and transfer bars for retaining a sheet body between said binder bars, latch means detachably retaining said sheet engaging posts, binder and transfer bars in sheet binding position, a flexible binding having spaced portions secured to said binder bars for holding them in assembled relation, said binding having a portion adjacent one of said binder bars secured to said attaching bar for hingedly mounting said sheet binding unit on said attaching bar for movement relative to said back member, a keeper mounted on said back, a latch plate slidably mounted on said sheet binding unit adjacent said binder bar opposite the one secured adjacent to said attaching bar, said latch plate being aligned with and adapted to engage said keeper in one position thereof for retaining said sheet binding unit attached to said back member against relative movement.

CHARLES V. ST. LOUIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 89,928 Guest et al. May 11, 1869 628,134 Webb July 4, 1899 1,889,230 Unger Nov. 29, 1932 2,109,882 Gram Mar. 1, 1938 

